November Movie Watch List (part 2)

We continued our movie themes with a blend of holiday horror and dystopian societies. This weekend, in addition to watching movies, we completed several puzzles. I forget how wonderful puzzles can be. Puzzles are challenging but leave a great sense of accomplishment — instant boost to the morale. Its interesting that older, disconnected hobbies such as puzzles, movies, and reading, bring so much joy in your life. Also, each can be done alone or as a family. Now, to our movies we watched this weekend:

11. Krampus (2015)

Krampus is a 2015 horror movie starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette. Toni Collette is one of my favorite actresses of all time. I always marvel how her acting does not seem like acting. Rather, her acting is always grounded in reality, almost reacting like a normal human being would react in the scenarios her characters always finds themselves in. She is also one of the few thespians that can shine on both the small screen or the big screen. Also, she blends well as an ensemble cast, a leading lady, or in a supporting role. Though receiving many accolades throughout her career, I find her somewhat underrated among mainstream audiences. I believe this is a result of her not starring in mainstream, blockbuster movies. If you want to tip your toe into her magnificent performance, Variety provides a list some of her best roles, including her A24 film, Hereditary.

Krampus is a PG-13, small production movie (with only a $15,000,000.00 budget), primarily a single location film. It is about a family that forces themselves together during Christmas because they are family. The difference, agitations, and dislike is obvious. Yet, the adults put on a fake smile and force themselves through awkward interactions under the guise of “Christmas joy”. Unfortunately, the children are not as good as faking the Christmas spirit, causing one child to lose hope, summoning the evil Krampus, who decides to teach the family a lesson on the loss of Christmas joy. The performances were solid, with a good blend of black humor and terrorizing scenes (demonic toys are nightmare fuel). Though not a “holiday classic”, the movie is a fun feature worth watching.

Sexual Content: 0/5Violence/Gore: 3/5Profanity: 3/5
Alcohol/Drug Use: 1/5Frightening/Intense Scenes: 4/5Category: 1

12. Logan’s Run (1976)

Logan’s Run is a classic dystopian film where society convinces all people on their 30th birthday to participate in a carousel to be reborn. Basically, this is a ritual suicide. Eventually, the titular Logan is aged to 30 to find sanctuary on a clandestine mission to find the fabled “sanctuary”, a hideout for all the “runners” that escaped the carousal to live to an old age. On his own run, his idea about his society is challenged, while he also falls in love along the way. The movie is a sci-fi classic. Coming out in the 1970s, it was originally rated PG. However, upon re-ratings, (especially with the creation of the PG-13 rating) the movie, due to the level of nudity, usually falls in the TV-MA or PG-13 range. Arguably, it with nudity alone, it could probably even be classified as a R-rating. The movie is long — maybe too long. But, it is a classic and should be watched because it really does illustrate the deconstruction of a society when you have the courage to ask “why” something is the way it is.

Sexual Content: 3/5Violence/Gore: 1/5Profanity: 0/5
Alcohol/Drug Use: 1/5Frightening/Intense Scenes: 2/5Category: 1

13. Red Christmas (2016)

Red Christmas is….bad. It stars B-horror-movie queen, Dee Wallace as the matriarch, hosting her family for Christmas, when a dark secret in the past comes back to exact revenge. The movie is a disorienting mess that is boring, not scary, not funny, and simply not enjoyable. Though not rated, it would likely be a R-rated slasher flick. Despite this movie appearing on holiday horror lists, it is a strong pass for me.

Sexual Content: 3/5Violence/Gore: 4/5Profanity: 3/5
Alcohol/Drug Use: 1/5Frightening/Intense Scenes: 2/5Category: 3

14. Snowpiercer (2013)

Snowpiercer is the R-rated dystopian movie depicting society relegated to a single train. The lower class occupy the tail of the train, living in squaller and filth. The upper class occupy the front of the train, living a life of luxury and amenities. The movie depicts the uprising where those in the tail rise up to take the train. This movie is a well put together dystopian nightmare. Song Kang-ho steals the show, as Nam, the person that can hack the gates between the trains. He is secretly a badass, hiding his abilities until his daughter is threatened. He really makes this movie work, not allied with any side, rather looking to make a better world by thinking outside the box. He represents a true rebel spirit. The movie from this neutral outsider provides more depth than the two sides depicted in this civil war.

Sexual Content: 0/5Violence/Gore: 4/5Profanity: 4/5
Alcohol/Drug Use: 3/5Frightening/Intense Scenes: 3/5Category: 1

15. Nutcracker Massacre (2022)

Nutcracker Massacre is the unrated holiday horror film that is almost so bad it was good. It had a handful of scenes that had me laughing while other scenes were long, boring and dragged out an otherwise tortuous experience. The movie features a killer nutcracker that magically appears then disappears. It slowly kills everyone in the house. The kills are not overly gory or bloody. In fact, most of the gruesome scenes are obviously fake, featuring rubbery props with obviously fake blood. A shorter cut of this movie could be a quick, 40 minute cult hit. But, the padding definitely reduced this into a horrible film.

Sexual Content: 1/5Violence/Gore: 4/5Profanity: 2/5
Alcohol/Drug Use: 1/5Frightening/Intense Scenes:2/5Category: 3

We have two weekends left this month on our current theme. Soon, we will be entering December and with it, Christmas classics. Also, with Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we will watch in sequential order, film trilogies, duologies, or series to celebrate the respite holidays offer.

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